Aphrodite
by NiennaAngel
Summary: AtsushixYuuta Valentine's fic written for a challenge on LJ. Sequel to Bittersweet Atsushi and Yuuta struggle to be together for Valentine's Day.


Mmkay, so this is a kind of/sort of sequel to "Bittersweet" only it's not what I had originally planned for that sequel. Really there had been much suffering on Yuuta and Atsushi's parts and a big family fight over Yuuta being gay and Fuji coming to his defense and all sorts of drama. Then I wrote this. I hope you enjoy.

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Atsushi walked through the streets looking around at all of the Valentine's Day decorations feeling a familiar ache in his chest. It had only been a month since he and Yuuta had broken up, but he wasn't even close to getting over the sudden loss. He tried to focus on what Yanagisawa was saying, but it was hard when everywhere he looked he saw couples in love. He had been like that just a month ago when he and Yuuta would leave campus to spend time together away from prying eyes. Something caught his eye in one of the shops making him stop in his tracks.

"What 'cha looking at, dane?" Atsushi didn't respond as he looked at the simple silver necklace with a Celtic knot pendant. Yuuta had done a world history report on the Celts a year or two before and mentioned the knots associated with them more than once. "Atsushi? What are you doing, dane?"

"Go on without me, Shinya. I just remembered something I have to do." Yanagisawa gave him an odd look, but nodded and left him standing there. Yuuta's birthday was only four days after Valentine's so the necklace's price wasn't too outrageous if he bought it as a combination gift. Valentine's was on the weekend, but Yuuta was planning to go home for the weekend to celebrate his birthday with his family. He would have to give it to him early, but that was probably best given their current situation. With that knowledge he walked into the jewelry store and forced a smile at the woman working behind the counter. He was glad he had taken his wallet instead of just grabbing some cash like he usually did.

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Yuuta was fumbling with his keys trying to find the one that would unlock his dorm room when he heard someone chuckle behind him. "When are you going to get separate key rings for your school keys and home keys? It'll make things a lot easier for you." Yuuta turned around to see Atsushi standing behind him smiling, but Yuuta didn't smile back. He was hurting just seeing that easy smile again. Atsushi reached out and brushed his fingers along the side of his ex's face. "I have something for you. Can I come in?"

"Of course," Yuuta replied softly. He turned back around and unlocked his door, closing it behind them so that they wouldn't be disturbed by their nosy teammates. "Atsushi, you know my father's opinion isn't going to change. He doesn't want us to be together."

Atsushi took Yuuta's hand gently and pulled him over to the bed. Once they were sitting Atsushi pulled the necklace box out of his pocket. "I know, Yuuta, but that doesn't mean I want to give you up. We'll figure it out. Somehow, we _will _be together."

Yuuta sighed and leaned in to rest his head on Atsushi's chest. "How can you be so confident?"

Atsushi just hugged him tightly. "I have to believe that I'll get you back. The pain's tolerable if I believe that you and I will be together in the future." He placed a light kiss on Yuuta's head as he hugged him close. He pulled back after a few minutes and smiled at his kouhai. "I got you something." He offered the black box and waited to see Yuuta's reaction.

Yuuta opened the box slowly. When he did get it open he stared in wonder. Really, the necklace was too beautiful and most likely too expensive for any one occasion. "Atsushi, this… this is too much. I… I can't accept this. You spent too much money on me" he said hurriedly as he pushed the box back towards Atsushi.

Atsushi took the box, but only to take the necklace out and move closer to Yuuta. "Think of it as a Valentine's Day and birthday present combined. I want you to have it, Yuuta. Please accept it." He reached around and clasped it around the younger teen's neck. Gently he placed a kiss on Yuuta's cheek. Yuuta turned his head and brought their lips together hesitantly. Atsushi's hands gently cupped Yuuta's face as he took control. They parted slowly both of their hearts aching.

"Promise me we'll be okay again" Yuuta whispered softly as he buried his face in his sempai's shoulder.

"I promise" he whispered. "I promise."

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"Yuuta, where'd you get that necklace? It looks expensive." Yuuta looked up at his mother as he dropped the necklace in question. Ever since Atsushi had given it to him earlier that week he had developed a habit of holding it when his hands weren't otherwise occupied. "Yuuta?"

"It was a birthday present from a friend at school" he replied quickly.

"That boy I told you not to hang out with anymore?" his father demanded. Yuuta looked up at his father with a look that broke his mother's heart. "Well?"

"Yeah, Dad. Atsushi gave it to me. Why do you have such a problem with him? He's a great guy!"

"Return it."

"No!" Yuuta stood in the middle of his birthday dinner too hurt and angry to sit with his family any longer. "I'm going back to school" he said firmly. He took the stairs up to his room two at a time to collect his things before leaving. He would much rather spend the rest of his birthday in Atsushi's room ignoring his father's orders.

Yuuta was throwing his things in his bag when he heard a knock at his door. He looked up to see his brother standing there. "Yuuta, we don't want you to be unhappy" Syusuke started as he walked over and sat down on the bed not really sure how to continue. It was only when dealing with Yuuta sometimes that he ever felt unconfident with how to proceed. "Does Atsushi really make you happy?"

"Yes" Yuuta replied as he returned to putting his things away. "More than anything."

"Mom's telling dad off for pushing you away from us. She wants you to stay here for the rest of the weekend and celebrate your birthday with your family."

"No, aniki. I don't want to stay here. I don't want to be in the same place as Dad right now. I'm just going to go back to school." He zipped up his bag and headed for the door.

"So that you can spend the rest of the night with Atsushi?"

"Do you have to ask?" Yuuta demanded as he continued towards the front door and his escape.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Yuuta" he heard his mom say before he slammed the door shut behind him.

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Atsushi sat up surprised when he heard a knock at his door. He hadn't been expecting anyone to stop by since he knew everyone had other plans. Curious as to who might be knocking he got off his bed and walked over to open it surprised to see Yuuta standing there looking for the world like he was going to cry. He quickly pulled the teen into his arms and his room.

Yuuta rested curled up in Atsushi's bed feeling more relaxed than he had all evening. The older teen was holding him tightly and whispering soft words of affection and love into his ear. Yuuta's phone started ringing and Atsushi urged him to answer knowing that he had stormed out on his family. Yuuta listened patiently to what his father had to say, but didn't say much in return. He was more interested in Atsushi's fingers running up and down his arm. He hung up and turned back to face the sempai he had fallen in love with three years earlier. "My dad said that he doesn't approve, but if forbidding me from seeing you is going to cause my mother pain by keeping me away that he won't forbid it." He paused for a few seconds as he let Atsushi digest his last sentence and thinking about something else. "How did you know things would work out?"

"It's Valentine's Day. I don't think Aphrodite would want to people as in love as we are apart on Valentine's Day" Atsushi replied.

"That was corny and not even accurate. Valentine's Day was created in honor of a Christian saint" Yuuta replied with a small smile tugging at his lips.

"It was the best answer I could come up with." Atsushi leaned in and pressed their lips together in a firm kiss. "I just have faith in us, Yuuta. That's all."

"You're being unusually corny lately, 'Sushi" Yuuta murmured as he moved closer to his boyfriend. "It's weird."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Yuuta." Yuuta grinned and laughed as Atsushi started to trail his fingers up and down his arm so lightly it tickled.

"Stop, 'Sushi. That tickles" he complained as he shifted away from the teasing hand. Atsushi wasn't about to give up that easily. He quickly straddled Yuuta and started tickling him mercilessly. Yuuta laughed as he squirmed and begged for his boyfriend to stop.

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Neither noticed the pair of eyes watching them from the cracked door. Fuji had followed his brother back to school worried about how he would hold up after the fight with their father that caused more damage than it would seem to an outsider. It hadn't been difficult to convince the man sitting at the front desk of the dormitory to let him come up and check. He smiled as he heard his brother laugh so happily. It had been a long time since he had heard that laugh and it was good to hear it once more.

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Atsushi stopped tickling Yuuta when he started gasping for breath. "I know you're getting sick of me being corny, but you know I love you, right?"

Yuuta looked up at Atsushi with a smile as he tried to catch his breath. "I love you, too."

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I apologize for any OOCness and the over abundance of corniness in this. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Please review! 


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